Graphic Design Topics

Syllabus - Graphic Design Professor

1. What is the role of the graphic designer in the web design process? Observation - programmers have too little design knowledge, designers have too little programming experience and people with both skills are a rare breed.
2. Planning and organizing content for the web. Questions you need to ask yourself and the client. Wireframing and site maps.
3. Creative ideation techniques. How to brainstorm and how to overcome creative blocks.
4. The elements and principles of design as they might apply to a web page layout
   • line, shape, direction, size, texture, color, value
   • balance, repetition, contrast, harmony, dominance, unity
5. The Theory of Gestalt (visual organization principles) - closure, proximity, continuance, similarity and alignment.
6. Semiotics - the meaning behind signs and symbols.
7. Type 101 - type design basics
   • difference between html text and graphics
   • legibility
   • concepts of point size, leading and kerning
   • uppercase, lowercase, bold, italics - when and why to use them
8. Type 102 - typographical hierarchies. Organizing information through type design.
9. Color
   • psychology behind color choice
   • how to use for legibility, etc.
   • analogous, complementary and primary color palettes
   • how to use Adobe Kuler to create palettes
10. Photography 101 - what makes for a great versus a mediocre photo, cropping, color tweaking and other tips.
11. Page Layout - using tables to organize your content and using type design to segregate that content visually.
12. Buttons - website conventions and how/when it is ok to break them. What defines a successful rollover state. How to avoid the cheese factor.
13. Text and image used in conjunction. Avoiding see and say combinations. Inviting the viewer to participate in your concept.
14. Review of award-winning designed websites. (source: Communication Arts)